Products We Use
Enclosure
UVA Basking Lighting
Enclosure
Husky 54-gallon Tote (for hatchlings up to 6 months old)
Homemade Tortoise Table (for babies up to 1-1.5 years old)
Substrate
UVA Basking Lighting
Enclosure
UVA Basking Lighting
UVA Basking Lighting
UVA Basking Lighting
Humid Hides
Nighttime Heat
Nighttime Heat
Sterilite 2.5 Quart "flip top" box (for 1-2 hatchlings)
Sterilite 6 Quart box (for 3 or more hatchlings)
Thermometers and Hygrometers
Thermometers and Hygrometers
Thermometers and Hygrometers
Timer for Lights
Thermometers and Hygrometers
Thermometers and Hygrometers
Hatchling Care
Daily Soaking
Calcium and Supplements
Food and Water
We soak all of our hatchlings every morning in warm water for 20 minutes. This helps keep them hydrated and maintains healthy kidney function.
Food and Water
Calcium and Supplements
Food and Water
A variety of food is provided, with something different for breakfast each morning. Food is provided after soaking, and is left so hatchlings can graze.
Various items we feed include: natural weeds and flowers that we grow outdoors from seed, Mazuri (moistened), spineless prickly pear cactus (and opuntia cactus fruit), and "store bought" organic leafy greens (dandelion, romaine lettuce, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, escarole, endive, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, and radicchio).
We also like to serve a "gel kit" we purchase from Kapidolo Farms. These gel kits are easy to make and can be customized to provide different flavors.
We never feed, and do not recommend feeding, "grocery store fruits." Their high sugar content is not healthy and the tortoises have difficulty digesting them. For treats, our tortoises get flowers (hibiscus and Mexican petunia are their favorites).
Fresh water is provided using a small terra cota plant saucer. It's shallow to prevent drowning, and wide enough to crawl into, should the hatchlings wish to soak themselves.
Calcium and Supplements
Calcium and Supplements
Calcium and Supplements
We make our own "Calcium Cakes" that we leave in each enclosure for our tortoises to chew on when they want to. They are made using Calcium Carbonate powder that we purchase from Kapidolo Farms.
There are a variety of dried greens and flowers that our torts love having mixed into their food a few times a week. These can also be purchased from Kapidolo Farms. We highly recommend the dried hibiscus!
We also use Mediterranean Graze once a week to sprinkle on top of their breakfast, which we get from TortRescue
Enclosure Maintenance
Enclosure Maintenance
Calcium and Supplements
We spot clean our enclosures daily, usually while hatchlings are soaking. We remove any feces and uneaten crumbs of food.
Misting
Enclosure Maintenance
Handling
We use a pump sprayer to mist each enclosure (some daily, others weekly). This imitates a light rain.
Handling
Enclosure Maintenance
Handling
We only handle our hatchlings when soaking them, cleaning their enclosures, or the occasional visit to the Vet when needed.
We otherwise leave them alone in their habitats to prevent stressing them out.
Make Your Own Humid Hide
Materials Needed
Mark and Cut the Entrance
Mark and Cut the Entrance
- Plastic container. (We buy ours at Home Depot).
- Ruler
- Sharpie marker
- Cutting blade
- Sphagnum moss
Mark and Cut the Entrance
Mark and Cut the Entrance
Mark and Cut the Entrance
Use the ruler and Sharpie marker to draw the entrance to be cut.
Using the cutting blade, slice gently along the marked line.
BE CAREFUL. Not only are you using a sharp blade, but plastic can crack.
Fill with Sphagnum Moss
Mark and Cut the Entrance
Fill with Sphagnum Moss
Take handfuls of sphagnum moss, wet in warm water, squeeze any excess water, and place in the humid hide until it's almost full.
Place Into Enclosure
Place Into Enclosure
Fill with Sphagnum Moss
Keep the sphagnum moss moist and warm at all times.
Easy Access
Place Into Enclosure
Easy Access
These particular containers are great because of their pop-open lids, allowing for easy access to tortoises, maintenance of the moss, and cleaning.
Our Tortoise Tables
Made using OSB Sheathing boards. The inside is coated in Flex Seal (to waterproof and prevent warping and molding). We lined the inner walls with vinyl tiles for extra waterproofing and provide a nicer look.
All the needed components are added: substrate, water dish, humid hide, thermometer/hygrometer readers, lights, CHE, camera, and random decor.
Tables are set up side-by-side to share the UVB light.
We've added a shower curtain over the top of the tables to maintain the enclosed style habitat. Hot & humid!!!